Equalizing device.



A. r. ROGKWLL.

BQUALIZING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1906.

Patent-.ea June 21, 1910.

A TTORNEY.

WJTNESSES:

' Y; Tp imag-concern:

maar r. nocxwnLL, or BRISTOL, coNNE'rrcU'r, AssIeNon. rro 'rnn NEW nnrnnrunn MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION F CQN- NECTICUT. l

'Be it known that I, ALBERT F.' RocxwnLL,

'a citizen ofthe United States, residin at Bristol, county of Hartford, State `of nnecticut, have invented al certain new and useful 'Equalizing Device, of which the fol- .plowing is a full, clear and exact descri tion,

- auchas will enable others skilled in e art to which it appertains to make and ilse kthe 13 reference being had to the accompanying -ravvings, forming part of this specification '4 invention-relates to a driven or Vpower transmitting means wherein power may be conveniently transmitted from a drive element to a driven elementby means .an automatically operable connecting Another object of :ny-.inventionl is'to provide the equalizmg mechanism for two movable .parts (as for example the two alining members of ar split axle)' whereby one part insti move fasterv than the other and whereby v parts may coasts he, same speed depending upon .thecon itionsunder which parts are operating. Another ob'ect of he invention is to Vpro- 3.9 eed as great or in excess of the speed of i vide means w ereby the driven member will be operably 'connected tothe drive member y so long as. the V drive member is rotating at a e driven member" the arrangement being i such-that whenthe driven member moves Y faster than the drive member the drive and vdrivenv member will be vdisconnected and it will be permitted the drive member.

to move independently of I 'Another ect is toprovide meansfwhereby two alimng rotatable-drive elements iQ under certain conditions both of said alimng 'elements will rotate other conditions one may' be rigidly connected together, so that n ther,.while'u'nder said elements may rotate at. a sp in excess of speedof the Y Another object gis to provide a' -Suitable mechanism for dr" inglthe drive axle of the Yehil, f5.0y that Whdn t pr rly operate to drive the axle said pro mechanism will be connected to said rive` axle to iimpart motion thereto,

i betas soon as `propelling mechanism vof Athe 'clutch e ropelling mechan.. n dp vided with a sleeve or hub-lwhich is loplrpositely, threaded as at 16 'and 17.- A The neUnLIzING DEVICE.

Patented June 21, 1910.

ceases to operate, or in the event of the drive is provided to impart motion thereto, the propelling mechanism and drive axle will be automatically disconnected.

.Other objects and advanta as well as novel details of construction o this invention will be a parent from the followingdescripaxle. rotating faster than the element which v tion as t e nature of the invention is better understood, it being obvious. thatl changes in form, proportion and minor details of anism constructed in accordance with my.

invention, and Fig.2 is a fragmentary Seel. tional view of the driveelemen't and the conre 1'is a vertical, l transverse, sectlonal view through a4 mechnector --for connecting the drivenl andv drive l element andthemeans 'for` holding the connector in its neutral andoperative positions,

In order to convey the roper conception eneric features o my invention, l have il ustratedA it as being applied to a motor vehicle vin which a split axle is employed for driving the wheel thereof.- The split axle -in the lpresent instance consists of two alining members ,designatedN by the reference numerals- 1 and 2 respect1vely;

These 'axle members are journaled in, the

thrust bearings 3 and 4 carried Vby the frame 5. Rigid on the respective axle members 1 and` 2 are clutch members 6 and Z-ffEach 'v clutch member is here illustratedV as comprising a sleeve or collar 7 throughwhich passes a key 8 to revent rotatory movement of the collar wit respect to itsA articular axle member. A web 9 is carrie` by' each collar and on the ler-iphery of each web is an annulus 10. with op itely inclined,` internally arranged fiisces 11 and 12, spaced by an annular groove 13. The clutch 'members 6 and 7 are spaced apart'to ermitthe application of a drivef'elementfi ustrated as a s rocket or ear,l as the case maybe, here designated by 100 t e numeral 14. The drive element is prothreads on the external portions of said ach annulus is provided s so t forrthe and 21 which are adapted to have sidevwiggg movement im arted thereto in OPPO/:lite

V ,pf them'thmugh tions when t e drive` element moves.

vThe peripheries of the clutch elements v and 21 are provided with oppositely inclined clutch' lfaces 11 and 12 to frictionall engage theclutch fa'ces 11 an d 12 of thev utch members 6 and 7 according to the directionsof rotation of the drive element 14.

tion. elements 22 with :the surface of -t e l grooves 13 as' will be explained hereinafter.

In the form illustrated the ldraw the members 1 and 2 aline, sothat' arein contact with -each other. If the .-dnve member is'rotated in a. forward direction the friction elements 22' will 'contact suiliciently'with the surface vof the groove hsothat the clutch elements 20 and'21 getler. `The movements of the vclutch elements'ust dted willresult in causin 86 the en -thrust tobe resisted by the ends o ends of the lhub 15.

'.'of the drive member ward direction the axle members 1 and 2 `will be rotated ina forward direction. If

e 'so long the axle members 0r shafts 1 and 2 and the So long as the motion 14 advances in afor# however, the drive element is reversed, sidewise movements will be imparted to the clutch members 20 them to ge the clutchface 11 ofthe clutch mem rs 6 and 7 and thereby impart motion to the shaft or axle in a rearward` direction. These movements ywill continue as the vehicle istraveling in a straight path. If, however, the wheels are an arc, so that it becomes necesl outer wheel to travel faster than the inner wheel, 'the diference in the relative movements of the outer and inner wheel shaft will besuch that the outer clutch carried by one of the shaft or axle members Will be itted to run free efect-:w at is commonlyterme a differenconnection. If the vehicle is passing down an inclined lane or if in anycas'e the axle or shaft mem rs 1 and'2 are permitted v to run faster than4 the drive element 14, the

utch members 20 and 21 .will be promptl thrown out offrictional engagement with the clutch members 6 and 7, so thatmem- I 19' of thelclutch members v provide a brake m movement Vof the clutch members 6v and 7 elements which are carried lIl i by the clutch' elements and 21, said fric;

V"adapted to. contact vmg these elementsto each.' the medium of the threadedj vvented from con and 21, so as to cause member roviding in Y of driven mem the s to the driving mechvehicle to coast or the shaft o r sha become disconnected'from mism. This lattesdescribed aca-,ion wiu'be conveniently laccomplished durin 'the movement-either rearward or fo f viw .ofthe fact tt I havedmnt means ,or coasting' it, ex to anism for retardingthe and thereby retard the movement. of the members 1 and 2; Ai simple device for brilleis illustrated as compris-- 'ed wie t e ri erieso u 7. "Flanagan refcrred'manner,. and I In order tof'pennit the'` drive element to ements 6 and runfree without th'dl'i-Yenel-f mentV Imay intrsdA uoehpans for. holding the utch members 20and 21in neutral or ino tive iin 4it', expe ent to 4introduce means where by the clutch out of operative bers 6 and 7. The neutralizing element 24 1s ada ted to'be Iintroduced between'the ends of tl e clutehumembers' 20 and 21, so that whilethe member 24 is positioned said members 20 and 21, they will be pre- .with either the member 6 or 4the member in thus holding the members 20 and 21 out of engagement with just? described, the

4the membersl 6 and 7.

By the construction motor together with the drive element may bepermitted torlmfreesoasnottoim art motion to the driven` member or m For example, if it is desired to motor to ascertain :whether or tor f or any cause without impartingl move-V ment to the driven member ment 24.

WhatiIelaim'is: 1. A gea plural number of "can be accomplished by introducing the-ele-v 1 rigid on 'each' ofsaid driven members, mova le clutch members on'said drive member for automatically engaging the said rigid clutch members during the rotation of the drive member'in'either aforward or a rearward direction, and means for prevents ing movement of the'said movable clutch members; 'substantialll :is-described.

2. Agearin including a plural number 'rs,"a clutch member carried by each of said driven paridad.

d brakesmaysbe operated in any"` ha 'therefore spediedcally illus- 'tionstht is weer, I may.

bers 20 and 21 may beheld eent with the mem- 'e hereinshownascom abifurcated member straddling the drive gement 14 and 96 rigidly.-

startup the not it is runnlng properly, or indeed to operate the mo-` indding a drvemember 'a ,f mg driven members, a'clutbh' iioy drive .member clutch members carried by drive member to run free; substantially es the drive mem r and having sidewise movedescribed. 10 ment and adapted to engage the first-named In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my clutch members at the limit of sidewise signature, iii-the presence of two witnesses.

5 movement in either direction, and means Afor -ALB RT F. ROCKWELL.

holding said second-named clutch members Witnesses: i 4 at an intermediate point "between the limits CHAs. F. SCHULZ, of sldewise movements so as to permit the B. F. FUNK.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 962,252, granted June 21, 1910,

upon the application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an improvement in EqmallzingV Devices, an error appears in the printed speciication requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 39, the word drive should read drieen; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same msy conform to the `record of th'e case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of duly, A. D., 1910. u

{SEAL} f c. c. BILLINGS,

.Acting Commissioner of Patents. i.

drive .member clutch members carried by drive member to run free; substantially es the drive mem r and having sidewise movedescribed. 10 ment and adapted to engage the first-named In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiix my clutch members at the limit of sidewise signature, iii-the presence of two witnesses.

5 movement in either direction, and means Afor -ALB RT F. ROCKWELL.

holding said second-named clutch members Witnesses: i 4 at an intermediate point "between the limits CHAs. F. SCHULZ, of sldewise movements so as to permit the B. F. FUNK.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 962,252, granted June 21, 1910,

upon the application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an improvement in EqmallzingV Devices, an error appears in the printed speciication requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 39, the word drive should read drieen; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same msy conform to the `record of th'e case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of duly, A. D., 1910. u

{SEAL} f c. c. BILLINGS,

.Acting Commissioner of Patents. i.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 962,252.

It is hereby certiled that in Letters Patent No. 962,252, granted June 21, 1910, upon the application of Albert F. Rockwell, of Bristol, Connecticut, for an improvement in Equalizing Devices, an error appears in the printed speoiiication requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 39, the word drive should read driven; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the 'record of th'e case in the Patent Ofice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of July, A. D., 1910.

[SEAL] C. o. BILLINGS,

.Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

